Coming To An Understanding
by nomdeplumekansas
Summary: Jim can't sleep and goes to get a cup of coffee. Uhura can't stay in her quarters another moment. When they realize they are both up for the same reason, they talk. Sorry for the bad summary, just check it out. Inspired by the song One Sweet Day by Boys II Men.


"Good evening Uhura," Jim gave a small smile as his sat down in the chair across the mess hall table from the beautiful woman.

"I'm not in the mood for any of your crap tonight Kirk," Uhura warned.

"This is a crap-free zone," Jim promised as he studied Uhura. She had her hands wrapped around a cup of tea, and seemed lost in thought. "You're up late tonight."

"Uhura responded with a snort and roll of the eyes. "Just needed to get out of my quarters for a while."

"I see," Jim nodded and took a sip of his coffee. "Blech, this is awful."

Uhura barely gave his comment any attention. "What are you doing up? Or can I assume that the stowaway just doesn't have quarters."

"I have quarters, thank you very much," Jim responded, dumping cream and sugar into his cup. "What with the forty seven extra Vulcans on board, things had to be rearranged anyways. Speaking of, how is Spock?"

"Like you care," Uhura's eyes darkened.

"Look, there is more going on than what you saw so let it be."

"He's responding like a Vulcan. He's cold, closed off. I can tell his human side is struggling though. He is angry and horribly upset." Uhura finally responded. "I don't know what to do to help him." She added softly.

"Let him grieve on his own time, in his own way. He will get through this, but not when people push him." Kirk took another grimaced sip of coffee. "I am going to have to talk to Scotty about this coffee."

"Hmm," Uhura commented, lost in her own thoughts again.

"What's on your mind," Jim asked carefully.

"A lot," Uhura smiled ruefully. She drained the last of her tea and set the cup down with a shaky rattle. "Why can't I sleep?" She murmured, scrubbing at her tired eyes.

Jim quietly stood up and went to refill both of their cups. When he returned, he looked down at Uhura who was still sitting with her fists over her eyes before taking his seat again. "You aren't the only one still up," Jim commented quietly, sliding the cup of tea across the table.

"You're right, I'm sorry Jim," Uhura finally opened her eyes. "How are you doing?"

"Oh, I'll be alright," Jim waved Uhura's question aside. "I was just thinking though…"

"Yeah?"

"I could probably count on my two hands how many people are sleeping on this ship right now."

"And at least half of those are probably sleeping thanks to Doctor McCoy and his help." Uhura nodded.

Jim nodded as he again dumped sugar and cream into his cup.

"I would have thought you'd be happy," Uhura finally commented.

"Why?" Jim asked flatly.

"Well, you've killed the man responsible for your father's death, your memory and quick thinking saved over forty Vulcans and all of Earth. You're captain, albeit, acting captain of Starfleet's flagship. You'll probably get a commendation rather than expulsion now."

"Don't try to psychoanalyze me Uhura," Jim sighed. "Nero was a lot of things, and I can never forgive him for the damage he did, but he was also a grieving father and husband. He too lost his planet. Killing Nero isn't going to bring my father back or make up the years of suffering my mother, brother and I endured. It isn't going to help the surviving Romulans from whatever universe he was from." Jim paused to sip at his coffee.

"Earth survived, but look at the cost," Jim let out a weighty sigh. "I am thankful for what we have in spite of the last twenty four hours, but no Uhura, I am not happy."

"I'm sorry Jim," Uhura replied placing one of her hands over Jim's.

"There will never be any absolution," Jim's voice cracked slightly as he admitted that, more to himself than to Uhura.

After a minute of silence, Uhura spoke up. "Despite all that happened today, I couldn't sleep because my quarters were too damn quiet. My roommates are both great girls, but one is still on shift in medical and the other took something and is actually sleeping. It is just too quite after two years of…"

"Galia," Jim finished when Uhura trailed off.

"I am very careful about who I befriend and she was one of my only friends. She was my best friend. I gotta ask Jim," Uhura looked at Jim with hard eyes. "Did she ever mean anything to you or was she just another girl?"

"More than you'll ever know," Jim looked down at his coffee with shining eyes. "Not all the rumors about me are true you know. I know what people think of me, yeah, I flirt, but it doesn't mean that I act on it. I've only ever had three girlfriends. I've only told one that I loved them. The other two were nice, but not anything with any kind of future. I don't even know why I am telling you this."

"Yeah, Galia told me that she'd fallen for you and when she said I love you to you, your reply was something about how weird that was. It hurt her, you know," Uhura commented.

"After…after my first girlfriend, I didn't think I would ever fall in love again. When Galia said I love you, I was surprised to find out that I…"

"What," Uhura asked breathlessly.

Jim just shook his head. The tears were getting closer to betraying him.

"Tell me Jim, please."

"I loved her too," Jim choked on his admission.

"That seems to be a little too easy and convenient now." Uhura commented.

"Watch it," Jim growled a harsh warning. "I feel so awful that I never got to tell her everything I wanted to tell her. I wish I could go back and tell her that I love her, to thank her for her help, to apologize for everything I put her through."

"I never imagined that I would graduate and she wouldn't be by my side with that big grin of hers. I miss her so much." Uhura sniffed.

"I just always assumed we'd have tomorrow to talk, to have fun, to love each other. It's ridiculous though. I should have known better."

"She always was upbeat and found the positive in everyone. Now she is looking down on us through the veils of heaven's harem. It isn't ridiculous Jim. We had no idea this was going to happen."

"My first girlfriend, the only other one I loved, she was killed and it shattered me. I honestly felt like I would never love again. I missed so many opportunities to remind her of that. When I met Galia and we became friends I vowed to remind her everyday how special she was to me, but I didn't want to acknowledge what I was feeling and now it is too late."

I am sorry about your first girlfriend," Uhura sipped at her tea. "May I ask what happened?"

"A tornado went through Riverside, spring of our junior year. Destroyed most of town."

"I am sorry Jim."

"Thanks," Jim smiled slightly. "Because I trust you with this information, can I tell you something?"

"Of course," Uhura sat up a bit straighter.

"I'll start by saying, I wasn't out to get Spock or to embarrass him or anything. It was that damn Kobayashi Maru that I had to beat."

"No one beats it Jim, you know that."

"I couldn't accept that. After the second time, I thought I had it figured out. I wrote a little program and I just needed help getting it to run at just the right moment. I had Galia help me install it and run it."

"What," Uhura exclaimed loudly.

"She didn't know what it was about and what the consequences would be," Jim quickly continued on, motioning to Uhura to lower her voice. "She thought I was just doing a silly prank."

"If she was caught as an accomplice she could've been expelled along with you."

"I know," Jim muttered. "I know, and I don't know if Spock or the Brass know about her involvement. I just don't want her memory or reputation to be tarnished. I don't care what happens to me, one way or the other, I made my bed, and I will lie in it. I just want the evidence or the case against Galia's involvement erased.

"She did love a good prank," Uhura finally relented. "the jello in the academy pool got her quite a few demerits."

"Galia did that one," Jim chuckled to himself in disbelief.

"That was one of her better pranks." Uhura laughed as well.

After a second, Jim and Uhura both quieted down. "I'm sorry, I am so sorry that I never told her all that I wanted to. Now it's too late, she's gone and I will never get to hold her hand, see her infectious smile, hear her bubbly laughter, taste that wild berry lip gloss she wore, or smell her perfume again."

"I never imagined that my best friend, the one who could charm her way out of any bad situation, would be gone just like that," Uhura snapped her fingers. "I never imagined that it would end like this." Uhura sniffed softly. "I don't know how I will be able to sit in that dorm room though when we get back, knowing that she won't ever burst in again, begging me to join her in a night on the town. I…I guess I'll just have to keep telling myself that somewhere down the line, we'll all be together again when our time comes."

"I took what we had for granted, but I always cared about her," Jim swore softly, staring into his mug.

"You know what, I kinda did too," Uhura touched Jim's hand again.

"I know that I wouldn't see her tonight anyways, but I already miss her." Jim felt a tear run off the end of his nose.

"She is in heaven now and she will always be with us," Uhura choked out.

"Yeah," Jim nodded and roughly scrubbed his face.

"Seriously though, I will put in a good word for the two of you regarding the Kobayashi Maru."

"For both of us?" Jim asked in surprise.

"I just so happen to agree with you that the test is a terrible idea." Uhura smiled.

"Thanks…Nyota," Jim spoke cautiously.

"No problem, Captain." Uhura smiled.

"God, I can't believe I am still drinking this crappy coffee," Jim shoved the now cold cup of coffee away from him. "So, you and Galia, you seem pretty different, how do you two end up friends and roommates?" Jim leaned back in his chair a bit.

"Remember Lieutenant Commander Reed's xeno-history class?"

"Yeah, he hated teaching history, but Admiral Archer thought he'd be good at it."

"Yeah, well then you remember the interview assignment."

"Yeah a ten page in-depth interview with another species including a visit to their home world. I was matched up with an Betazoid. You can imagine the trouble I got into there."

"I can only imagine," Uhura laughed gently. "Well, I was matched up with Galia and the more we learned about each other, the better of friends we became. By the end of the semester, we'd decided to room together and well…the rest is history."

"You went to the Orion home world?" Jim asked in awe.

"I can hold my own," Uhura smirked.

"I am sure you can," Jim nodded approvingly. He glanced down at his padd. "Oh shit, it's already going on 0400."

"Tomorrow's gonna hurt, but not much to do around here other than limp on back home so maybe it won't be too bad." Uhura sighed, the sadness coming back.

"I suppose we should try to get a couple hours of sleep," Jim yawned. "One last thing."

"Yeah?"

"You said you're pretty picky about who you're friends with. I am the same way. I know we didn't get off on the best foot, but I hope I can consider you a friend even after we get back to Earth."

"Just so long as you realize that you don't stand a chance of being anything more than that," Uhura grinned. "Feel free to call me Nyota and to stop by any time."

"Thanks Nyota."

"No problem Jim, now let's get some shut eye."


End file.
